Memorial OPC: Fall Adult Sunday School – Westminster Shorter Catechism 11/8/09

Westminster Larger Catechism

Q84 Shall all men die?

A. Death being threatened as the wages of sin, it is appointed unto all men once to die; for that all have sinned.

The Nature of Death

Consider the following Statistics (2001):

Every year – people die Every hour – almost people die

Every month – people die Every minute – people die

Every day – people die Every breath (you breathe about once every six seconds) – people die

1. What is the common conception of death when it comes to the unbeliever? What explanations do you regularly hear?

2. What is the common conception of death when it comes to many believers?

3. How do these ideas square with the teaching of the Bible?

Genesis 2:15 Romans 5:12 Romans 6:23

Ephesians 2:1-3 Revelation 21:8

Death is P . Death is the P for sin.

S death => P death => the S death. Death is not then a cessation of existence. It is a bereavement of all that is good and an infliction of all that is terrible.

4. But how are we to understand death in its relationship to the Christian?

1 Corinthians 15:3,4,21-26 John 11:25-26 Hebrews 2:14-15

5. Then why do Christians still die?

Death is the consequence of sin. But what of pain, suffering, trial, toil, affliction, sickness, and loss. Surely these too are the consequence of sin. Why does the Christian still experience these?

Romans 8:28 Hebrews 12:5-11

6. But how does God cause death to do this for the believer?

1 Corinthians 15:55-57 Revelation 14:13 Isaiah 57:1-2

7. Are you prepared for death?